Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia of Liver Mimicking Cirrhosis: a Case Report

A 34-year-old man with no history of any abdominal pain or fatigue was admitted to our hospital in June 2008 due to the cirrhosis found incidentally during a physical examination. Laboratory examination, electrocardiograph, abdominal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging were carried out during his hospitalization. However, according to the results of the above measures, the diagnosis of nodular regenerative hyperplasia of the liver (NRHL) could not be made. The result of electrocardiograph showed there was no sinus bradycardia. The abdominal ultrasonography showed evidence of hepatosplenomegaly, and magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple non-enhancing hepatic nodules. Histologic confirmation was available by means of liver biopsy and the definitive diagnosis of NRHL was confirmed histologically by liver biopsy. NRHL always presents with signs of portal hypertension with little evidence of obvious liver disease, NRHL may mimick the cirrhosis of liver and be easily confused with cirrhosis of the liver nodules, so liver biopsy should be recommended for correct diagnosis. We here report the clinical, radiological and pathologic features of this case with NRHL in order to familiarize the physicians with its clinical manifestations